Dance, Classical,
Second half of the season is star-studded
The performances listed below are, of course, only a few of the many outstanding classical music opportunities that will be coming your way for the rest of the winter and the spring. Among other groups we will be featuring in upcoming concerts will be the Fine Arts Chorale, Kansas City Wind Symphony, Heritage Chorale, UMKC Conservatory of Music (non-Signature Series performances), the Heartland Men's Chorus, Heritage Philharmonic, the Philharmonia of Kansas City, the William Baker Festival Singers, the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, and many others, including the community orchestras and choirs of Liberty, Lee's Summit, Topeka, Lawrence and the Northland, among others. Please continue to watch each weekly edition of this column for more details on these and other performances. Happy listening!
Bach Aria Soloists
Private homes in Kansas and Missouri
For tickets call 716-820-1473 or online at www.bachariasoloists.com
The Bach Aria Soloists, led by the brilliant violinist Elizabeth Suh-Lane, performs two concerts this spring. One, on March 28, entitled Inspired by Bach, features the music of former Kansas City Symphony music director and conductor William McGlaughlin, who introduce the stories behind the genius of Bach, Bartok, Mendelssohn and others.
The other concert, set for June 6, features UMKC Conservatory professor and master classical guitarist Douglas Niedt in performances by Corelli, Bach, DeFalla and more. Concerts are performed in private homes to limited audiences, so you must have tickets ahead of time to attend.
City in Motion Dance Company and Owen/Cox Dance Group
Folly Theater
12th and Central, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-2882 or online at www.cityinmotion.org
City in Motion Dance Company will sponsor its annual Modern Night at the Folly on February 6. Among the groups featured will be one of this reviewer's favorites, the Owen/Cox Dance Group, performing Jennifer Owen's Fuga Tanguera.
City in Motion will also present a 25th Anniversary Concert on April 11 at the Gem Theatre in the 18th and Vine District.
The Friends of Chamber Music
Various locations, but primarily the Folly Theater
12th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-9999 or online at www.chambermusic.org
To get you back in the swing of classical music after an abundance of holiday fare over the last month, The Friends of Chamber Music invites back the impressive Takacs String Quartet on January 9 for a performance of works of Beethoven and Haydn. Other ensembles appearing with The Friends this spring are Tafelmusik, performing Baroque favorites on January 31 accompanied by images from the Hubble Space Telescope in a program called Music of the Spheres, the Artemis String Quartet on March 12 playing works of Beethoven, and the Venice Baroque Orchestra on April 23 performing concerti by Vivaldi, Geminiani, Tartini and Albinoni.
Trio Medieval, an unusual three-woman vocal ensemble, will appear on April 18 for A Worcester Ladymass.
Among the soloists appearing soon are pianists Stephen Prutsman (February 12) and Kevin Kenner (April 9). This listener, however, is most awaiting a joint concert on March 5 by Behzod Abduraimov and Stanislav Ioudenitch, the former a recent winner of the London International Piano Competition Grand Prize, and the latter, of course, one of "our own," and a Gold Medal winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. What's better, tickets for that one are only $10 (free for subscribers)!
The effervescent Rob Kapilow also appears in January (16-17) for a What Makes it Great" program featuring the music of Chopin and pianist Gilles Vonsattel.
Harriman Jewell Series
Folly Theater
12th and Central, Kansas City, Missouri
For tickets, call 816-415-5025 or online at www.harriman-jewell.org
The Harriman Jewell Series features two of today's most virtuosic performers in pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin and cellist Yo Yo Ma this spring. Hamelin appears on February 19. This listener eagerly awaits his every performance in Kansas City (he has been here under the auspices of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance and the Kansas City Symphony before), as he is one of the most spectacular keyboard artists performing today. Both his recordings and live performances are things of wonder. For this recital he will tackle Haydn, Mozart, Liszt, Faure and Alkan. The first four are just obligatory recital composers...you will want to wait for the Alkan, whose excruciatingly difficult pieces are specialties for Hamelin.
Yo Yo Ma appears on March 18 with pianist Kathryn Stott in pieces by Schubert, Shostakovich, Franck and others. The performance is sold out, but you can call to put your name on the waiting list.
In addition to these soloists, several acclaimed Russian ensembles will appear, including the Russian National Orchestra on February 25 playing symphonies by Dvorak and Tchaikovsky, the Moscow State Radio Symphony on March 6 performing an all-Tchaikovsky program, and the Moscow Festival Ballet on May 1 in Coppelia.
Vocal music fans have a treat in store as tenor Michael Schade and baritone Russell Braun sing a joint recital on April 10. No word on the program yet, but this duo has gotten rave reviews in other cities where they have appeared; both are acclaimed international opera stars.
To top it off, Harriman is offering a free Discovery Series concert on February 13 featuring violinist Rachel Lee, a student of Itzhak Perlman and considered to be one of the most promising young stars to watch.
Kansas City Ballet
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-931-2232 or online at www.kcballet.org
The Kansas City Ballet gives two performances this winter and spring. The winter program (February 25-28), features Val Caniparoli's Lambarena, billed as an "irresistible fusion of Johann Sebastian Bach and traditional African rhythms," along with Robert Hill's choreography of contemporary composer Lowell Liebermann's Piano Concerto No. 2 and The Moor's Pavane by Jose Limon, loosely based upon the Shakespeare story of Othello. The piece utilizes music by British baroque composer Henry Purcell.
The spring program (May 6-9) is entitled George Balanchine's Who Cares? and includes the eponymous piece set to "15 show stoppers by George Gershwin." Also appearing on the program is the Donizetti Pas de Deux choreographed by the late Todd Bolender and A Solo in Nine Parts by Jessica Lange, with music of Vivaldi. Most eagerly anticipated, however, is a world premiere by choreographer Toni Pimble to music by Ernest Bloch.
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
Various locations in Fairway, Kansas and Prairie Village, Kansas
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.kcchamberorchestra.org
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra conductor Bruce Sorrell always has interesting repertory up his sleeve, and this spring offers a prime example with an iconic American piece, a world premiere and a Mozart classic.
The American icon, on April 29, is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, one of this listener's "desert island" compositions (although where one would find the orchestra to play it on a desert island is a bit of a mystery). The world premiere is The Twelve Kisses by composer Forrest Pierce, taken from the passionate Biblical love poem Song of Solomon, as sung by sparkling soprano Sarah Tannehill, one of Kansas City's vocal treasures for which we should count our blessings. Also on this program will be Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony.
The Mozart classic in the KCCO's repertory this spring is the Requiem Mass, written by the composer for himself (although commissioned for another), and left incomplete at his death. For magnificent choral writing it just can't be topped. The concert is June 11.
Kansas City Chorale
Various locations in Kansas City, MO and Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 816-235-6222; information is available online at www.kcchorale.org (no tickets available online).
Kansas City's premiere a capella vocal ensemble will usher in the spring season on March 6-7 with a concert entitled Sing to Love, featuring Brahms' second book of the romantic Liebeslieder Waltzes. The Chorale recorded an entire CD of Brahms a few years ago, which is one of this writer's favorite listening pleasures. Conductor Charles Bruffy has a special affinity for this music, so it should be a real springtime treat.
The Chorale wraps up its season on May 16 and 18 with The Rhythm of Life, a performance for which the group is joined by Valerie Dee Naranjo, percussionist on NBC's Saturday Night Live Band and Broadway's Lion King. Hmmm. Sounds like a departure from the usual classical format, but it should be...well...rhythmic.
Kansas City Symphony
Lyric Theatre, 11th and Central, Kansas City, MO
Yardley Hall at Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
For tickets call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org.
The Kansas City Symphony has several outstanding soloists in store for us in the coming months, but principal among them are violinist Gil Shaham and pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The weekend of January 22-24, Shaham will perform not one but two of this listener's favorite violin concertos, those of Prokofiev (No. 2) and American composer Samuel Barber. Dinnerstein, who appeared in Kansas City last year with The Friends of Chamber Music to great acclaim, will play the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 (May 14-16).
Other prominent soloists this spring include cellist Camden Shaw and violinist Josef Spacek in the double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra by Brahms (January 8-10), pianist Benedetto Lupo in the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 18 (January 15-17), and flutist Emmanuel Pehud playing a world premiere by Luca Lombardi (February 19-21). Violinist Karen Gomyo plays the Sibelius Violin Concerto (February 12-13), pianist Robert Levin performs a piece by the underrepresented (at least on orchestra stages) contemporary composer George Crumb (March 5-7), and soprano Heidi Grant Murphy sings in another Barber piece, the memorable Knoxville: Summer of 1914 (April 9-11). Another soloist playing works of an American composer is violinist Jennifer Koh performing Jennifer Higdon's The Singing Rooms (May 21-23).
Among the symphonic works to be heard at the Symphony this winter and spring are the Dvorak No. 7 (January 8-10), the Schubert No. 5 and the Mozart No. 39 (January 15-17), the Shostakovich No. 1 (January 22-24), the Beethoven No. 8 (February 19-21), the Mahler No. 4 (April 9-11), and the impressive Prokofiev No. 5 (June 4-6).
What are the particular gems to watch for? This listener is eagerly awaiting the classic Sibelius Finlandia and Stravinsky's dazzling ballet score Petroushka (both on February 12-13), Aaron Copland's monumental Symphony No. 3, utilizing the dazzling fanfare theme from Fanfare for a Common Man (March 5-7), and the always-mesmerizing Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faun (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) by Debussy (May 21-23).
In addition to the above, the Symphony Chamber Players, led by sparkling assistant conductor Steve Jarvi, will perform Grieg's magisterial Hollberg Suite (March 26).
Lied Center
University of Kansas
1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence, KS
For tickets call 785-864-2787 or online at www.lied.ku.edu
Among the classical music performances at KU's Lied Center this spring are a recital of the works of Rossini, Berlioz, Mozart and other composers by American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, of the Metropolitan Opera and other international companies, on January 24; a dance program by Ballet Folklorico on January 28; a modern dance performance by Pilobolus Dance Theater on February 5; and pianist Haochen Zhang, a winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, on February 16.
Also performing at the Lied Center this spring are the Albers Trio, a collaboration of three string-playing sisters performing the music of Mozart, Beethoven and "an expressive contemporary work by composer Ross Bauer" on March 7; and the celebrated modern music Kronos Quartet (strings) on April 13 performing the works of Terry Riley, among others.
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-471-7344 or online at www.kcopera.org
The Lyric Opera's spring season consists of two of the great classics of the repertoire. On March 20-28 the Lyric Opera will produce Verdi's Rigoletto, featuring acclaimed Metropolitan Opera soprano Mary Dunleavy (last year's star in La Traviata) as Gilda. Renowned baritone Richard Paul Fink, famous around the world for his portrayal of the doomed hunchback, will bring his interpretation of the title role to Kansas City. Tenor David Pomeroy, a Lyric Opera favorite, will sing the Duke of Mantua, including the famous aria "Donna e mobile," one of the most popular tunes ever penned.
Mozart's Don Giovanni will be the final production of the season from April 24 through May 2. Baritone Keith Phares, a stylish and handsome young star, and a Lyric Opera veteran of several productions (most recently The End of the Affair), will take on the title role with acclaimed up-and-coming star Andrew Gangestad as his sidekick Leporello. It should be great fun, with a bit of tragedy mixed in, as Mozart intended.
Musica Sacra
St. Francis Xavier Church
52nd and Troost, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.rockhurst.edu/services/musicasacra
Timothy MacDonald will conduct his Musica Sacra forces for two concerts this spring. The first, on February 20, features the "sweet" Music of Salzburg in a performance of works by Mozart and Michael Haydn. The second, set for April 18, will include Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Baroque masterpiece Te Deum and the Vespers by Mozart. This listener is most eagerly awaiting the second, as Charpentier's gorgeous music is not often heard in these parts, and any vocal piece by Mozart is worth waiting for.
newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church (and other venues)
4501 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222. Visit www.newear.org for information (no tickets available online).
New Ear upholds Kansas City's reputation, such as it is, for modern music performances, and this spring continues that tradition with two concerts. On March 13 the group performs the music of UMKC Conservatory professors and composers Chen Yi and Zhou Long, along with other Chinese-American composers, in a program entitled China Rising.
On May 1 the group performs Regenerations, a program "curated" by James Mobberly, featuring work of Mobberly and his students, along with Charles Ives and Edgar Varese. This concert will come just a week after the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra performs a new commission by Mobberly (see above), so it will be a heavenly few days for Mobberly fans.
Octarium
St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church
2 East 7th Street, Kansas City, MO
For information see www.octarium.org
On February 20, Octarium, the superb eight-voice a capella choir directed by Krista Blackwood, will offer something different in a concert entitled Mass-tiche. The group will perform several different "pastiche" masses. A "pastiche" is a piece of music constructed from fragments by various different composers. Pastiches were once quite popular in theaters and concert halls across Europe. A pastiche mass, for example, might include a "Kyrie" from one composer, a "Gloria" from another, and so on. With settings exploring similarities with settings through time, Palestrina paired with Part, Machaut with McMillan, this concert should prove to be an intriguing evening of music and history.
The Performing Arts Series
Johnson County Community College
Yardley Hall, Carlsen Center, Polsky Theatre
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 913-469-4445 or online at www.jccc.edu/TheSeries
The Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College includes Philharmonia of the Nations, conducted by Justus Frantz, on February 13; the Martha Graham Dance Company in Clytemnestra on March 13; the Palestrina Choir, Irish and Boys' and Men's Choir from Dublin on April 16; and the always impressive Brentano Strong Quartet with Charles Neidich, clarinet, on May 1.
What most entices this listener about the spring Yardley Hall concert series, though, is a performance of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, which many believe is the "Great American Opera," on February 26-27, performed with full orchestra. Details about the singers are not available at this time, but Porgy and Bess is always a treat, and Kansas City performances are all too infrequent.
Signature Series
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Performing Arts Center , Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.umkc.edu/cto
The Signature Series at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance features young performer Stefon Harris and his group Blackout on January 30. In a departure from the usual classical-oriented theme of the Signature Series concerts, this concert stars "one of the most important young artists in jazz," according to the Los Angeles Times.
Concerts this spring also include the elegant tenor Vinson Cole, Kansas City's own international opera star, on February 27; the Imami Winds, a wind quintet which is "meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions," on March 27; and the traditional year-ending Finale Concert on April 24 with Robert Olson and the Conservatory Orchestra, premiering a new composition written by Conservatory composer James Mobberly in honor of the late Todd Bolender of the Kansas City Ballet.
Top photo: Jean Lamon and Tafelmusik presented by The Friends of Chamber Music on January 31.
KC Events this week and beyond
Click here to see all the events on the KC Events performing arts calendar.
How do you list your events on KC Events? It is easy!!
As an arts organziation or musician, you can add and edit your own events.
KCMetropolis.org's mission is to promote traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre and independent film. We are very sorry, but we do not cover pop, rock, Christian or country music; we do not cover the visual arts or non-performing arts community events. If you would like to send a press release about an upcoming performing arts event, please send to press@KCMetropolis.org.
KC Events Categories are:
Traditional & New Classical Music
Dance
Theatre
Jazz
KCMetropolis.org builds assignments for reviews, previews and interviews exclusively from KC Events. Please make sure your events are listed inorder to be considered.
To Submit Information:
- Please go to the KCM front page and click on the login tab located at the top right-hand side of the website.
- Create a login account and then sign-in.
- Read the KC Events Terms of Service before proceeding
- On the left-hand nav is a category called Submit Content
- Click on Submit an Event or Manage Your Events.
- Listings will be approved with 48 hours if it fits the KCMetropolis.org criteria.
KC Events this week and beyond
Check out all the events on the KC Events performing arts calendar.
How do you list your events on KC Events?
As an arts organziation or musician, you now have the ability to add and edit your own events.
KCMetropolis.org's mission is to promote traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre and independent film. We are very sorry, but we do not cover pop, rock, Christian or country music; we do not cover the visual arts or non-performing arts community events. If you would like to send a press release about an upcoming performing arts event, please send to press@KCMetropolis.org.
KC Events Categories are:
Classical Music
New Classical Music
Dance
Theatre
Jazz
KCMetropolis.org heavily depends on KC Events to build an editorial calendar for reviews, previews and interviews. If your events are not listed, we may be unaware of it...
To Submit Information:
- Please go to the KCM front page and click on the login tab located at the top right-hand side of the website.
- Create a login account and then sign-in.
- Read the KC Events Terms of Service before proceeding
- On the left-hand nav is a category called Submit Content
- Click on Submit an Event or Manage Your Events.
- Listings will be approved with 48 hours if it fits the KCMetropolis.org criteria.
Jazz,
Winter comes to life with Jazz Winterlude
Johnson County Community College will banish the winter blues with a new three-day jazz festival - Jazz Winterlude: Kansas City Style running Friday-Sunday, January 8-10, in several venues at the Carlsen Center.
Jazz Winterlude consists of two full days of jazz and a Sunday brunch. Musicians are all local. Festival-goers will hear styles from Dixieland to contemporary and everything in between - swing, big band, bebop and vocal jazz.
"Kansas City has a huge cache of wonderful musicians who deserve to be heard by a wide audience in a concert setting," said Doreen Maronde, festival organizer.
Friday, January 8
4-5 p.m. Luqman Hamza Trio in Recital Hall
New Red Onion Jazz Babies in Polsky Theatre
5:30-6:30 p.m. Danny Embrey/Rod Fleeman Quartet in Recital Hall
Greg Carroll Quartet in Polsky Theatre
8-9 p.m. Rich Hill/Charles Perkins Quartet in Yardley Hall
9:15-10:15 p.m. 9Plus1 in Yardley Hall
Saturday, January 9
4-5 p.m. James Ward Trio in Recital Hall
Doug Talley Quintet in Polsky Theatre
5:30-6:30 p.m. Sherry Jones/Mike Ning Quartet in Recital Hall
Sons of Brasil in Polsky Theatre
8-10:15 p.m. Kansas City Jazz Orchestra in Yardley Hall
Sunday, January 10
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m Sunday brunch with the Dan DeLuca Trio (music until 2 p.m.) at the Capitol Federal Conference Center
Adding to the festival setting will be food available at Café Tempo in the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and Encore! Espresso in the Carlsen Center. Free parking is available and plentiful as Jazz Winterlude takes place during JCCC's winter break.
The cost of Jazz Winterlude is $20 for either Friday or Saturday, $25 for both days and $20 for brunch with tickets available at the Carlsen Center box office, 913-469-4445, or online at www.jccc.edu/JazzFestival.
The complete list of Jazz Winterlude artists includes:
LUQMAN HAMZA TRIO
Luqman Hamza, piano and vocals
Will Matthews, guitar
Tyrone Clark, bass
NEW RED ONION JAZZ BABIES
Walter Bryant, piano
Gary Gollner, clarinet and arrangements
Peter Kersten, banjo, guitar, vocals and emcee
Kent Rausch, drums, vocals and arrangements
Paul Rodabaugh, tuba
Barry Springer, cornet and trumpet
Dan Strom, trombone
ROD FLEEMAN/DANNY EMBREY QUARTET
Rod Fleeman, guitar
Danny Embrey, guitar
Bob Bowman, bass
Todd Strait, drums
GREG CARROLL QUARTET
Greg Carroll, vibres
Michael Pagan, piano
Ben Leifer, bass
Matt Leifer, drums
RICH HILL/CHARLES PERKINS QUARTET
Rich Hill, organ and vocals
Charles Perkins, reeds and flute
Matt Hopper, guitar
Arnold Young, drums
9PLUS1
Tim Doherty, alto and soprano saxes and flute
Brad Gregory, tenor sax and flute
Todd Wilkerson, baritone sax, flute and bass c
Bob McCurdy, trumpet and flugelhorn
Fred Mullholland, trumpet and flugelhorn
Jeff Hamer, trombone
Rob Whitsitt, guitar
Roger Wilder, piano
Kevin Payton, bass
Matt Leifer, drums
JAMES WARD TRIO
James Ward, bass
Angela Ward, piano and keyboards
Ryan Lee, bass
DOUG TALLEY QUINTET
Doug Talley, tenor and soprano saxes
Joe Parisi, trumpet and flugelhorn
Wayne Hawkins, piano
Tim Brewer, bass
Keith Kavanaugh, drums
SHERRY JONES/MIKE NING QUARTET
Sherry Jones, vocals
Mike Ning, piano and vocals
James Albright, bass
Victor Perelmuter, drums
SONS OF BRASIL
Stan Kessler, trumpet and flugelhorn
Danny Embrey, guitar
Roger Wilder, piano
Greg Whitfield, bass
Doug Auwater, drums
KANSAS CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Saxophones:
David Chael, lead alto, Bob Long, Doug Talley, Brad Gregory, Kerry Strayer
Trumpets:
Steve Molloy, split lead, Bob Harvey, split lead, Joe Parisi, David Aaberg
Trombones:
Jeff Hamer, lead, Earlie Braggs, Stephanie Bryan, Paul Roberts
Rhythm Section:
Charles Williams, piano, Rod Fleeman, guitar, James Albright, bass, Tim Cameron, drums
Vocals: Brienn Perry
Music Director: Jim Mair
Sound Technician: Ian Corbett
DAN DELUCA TRIO
Dan DeLuca, piano
Monte Muza, guitar
James Albright, bass
Classical,
Whose side is he on, anyway?
There are two types of people in the concert hall: A few of them make music and the rest of us listen to the music that the first group of people make. Simple enough? Not any more it isn't. And, maybe that's not such a bad thing.
David Peironnet of Friends of the Symphony talked with Tim Jepson, principal timpanist for the Kansas City Symphony, about why we should think about the relationship between musicians and the audience differently.
David Peironnet: You're on the stage and we're in the seats but we're all in the same hall at the same time and want the same thing.
Tim Jepson: It's interesting that you say that because we've been thinking a lot about that very issue lately. As musicians, we're interested in classical music and delivering the best performance possible. We're exhilarated by a good performance just as much as you are.
DP: As one of the Symphony's musicians, how do you see your role in the future?
Tim Jepson: As members of the orchestra, we want to look more at building a sense of audience advocacy. By this I mean that orchestra members should be doing more to promote your interests -- because ultimately your interests and our interests are the same. As musicians, we need to do more to develop relationships with the audience. We should be building partnerships when ever that is possible, and work towards shared goals.
DP: Is that a different approach from what we've seen traditionally?
Tim Jepson: Definitely. A traditional role would be to sit back and let other people deal with the audience. As musicians, we should be more involved with the audience on a person-to-person basis. We should seek out opportunities and look at places where there is a mutual interest and a potential for a mutual benefit.
DP: A lot of things will be changing in the near future when the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts opens.
Tim Jepson: It's an incredible opportunity for Kansas City as we all move forward. There is already a sense of excitement throughout the community. Even people who usually don't have much interest in our concerts have taken an interest in what we're doing. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring them into a concert hall and discover music that we, as musicians, and you, as the audience already appreciates.
DP: So, let's get right down to the issues. What do we need to be doing together?
Tim Jepson: Friends of the Symphony has always invited members of the orchestra to join you at your after concert parties. You've made us feel like honored guests and we appreciate that. We would like to build on this. Our musicians association, the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians is developing a new website. We should invite you to join in our blog about concerts. It would be a chance for you to ask questions and offer your ideas.
We would also like to look at creative ways to reach out to audiences, especially when new people buy tickets. Perhaps musicians should join auxiliary groups in welcoming new people to concerts and to speak with newcomers personally so they realize how important they are to us.
We are open to new ideas. We'd be pleased to have representatives of our group talk with auxiliaries and exchange ideas for how we can do more to attract new audience members.
The internet also offers creative new ways to reach out. We can utilize tools that didn't exist until recently. We can approach audience advocacy in ways that could never before be achieved. I'm confident that we can work together to develop fresh ideas which would benefit Kansas City audiences.
DP: Are any other orchestras doing innovative things?
Tim Jepson: Definitely. The irony is that most orchestras don't look for new approaches unless they are in a state of crisis. A crisis forces you to think in new and different ways. Change becomes necessary. In Kansas City, the Kauffman Center offers that same opportunity but with a positive twist instead of a negative one. We believe this is our opportunity to seize the public's imagination using something which is completely positive as an incentive. We want to welcome people into the new performing arts center and give them a new experience they will want to repeat. As Kansas City Symphony musicians, we see lots of different ways to work with our audience. We really want to take advantage of this opportunity!
Tim Jepson was elected by Kansas City Symphony musicians to represent them at the ICSOM annual conference. He reports that "long range plans also include establishing relationships with community, civic, and political leadership." He is also the percussionist with the Kansas City Brass and is featured on their recordings "A Kansas City Christmas" and "No Strings Attached."
Theatre ,
The reincarnation blues
The finest social satirists from Voltaire and Jonathan Swift, to Lenny Bruce and Larry David, have found their own mediums to properly carry their messages of social inappropriateness. For Christopher Durang, the neurotically-charged playwright of the Catholic screed Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All to You and the meshuggeneh family reunion The Marriage of Bette and Boo, the stage is a second home; his comedies put his (sometimes semi-autobiographical) characters in situations as absurd and frightening as an hour at a psychoanalyst's couch set up in a confessional. He knows his way around a stage, not as subtly or cynically as Wallace Shawn or as vituperatively or flamboyantly as David Mamet, but somewhere in the uncomfortable middle.
Durang's 2005 Miss Witherspoon at the Unicorn Theatre (co-directed by Cynthia Levin and Steven Eubank) is a minor play, but as an expression of futility mixed with humanity it rings full-throttle. A woman named Veronica (Jan Rogge) is first seen at home on the phone, talking to an anonymous someone about her depression; she is advised on pill-taking and listens with an edge of irritation, as though one too many talk-show hosts and best-selling experts have stuffed themselves into the closet of her mind. As she begins to make out a grocery list, a fuzzy spiked ball suddenly drops from the ceiling; then another and another, as a large Chicken Little bursts through the set claiming the sky is falling, as it turns out, indeed, it is: Veronica faces the audience to explain about Skylab (which when launched in 1973 was soon announced that it would be abandoned and eventually fall to earth on reentry). Her fear was that one large chunk would kill her, out of the blue: a Durang special. Yet, she reveals she killed herself sometime later (now, that is the real Durang punch-line). Why? Why not?
And so this middle-aged woman, lonely in life, learns how lonely the afterlife can be, or would be, if she could only get a moment's peace. The plot, already as scattered as a Scrabble board, goes for broke as Miss Witherspoon (as she is now called, from a poem her father speaks in one flashback: "You know that nursery rhyme, whither the spoon goes, whither the fork") undergoes one reincarnation sequence after another, led in some undeclared middle world by an Indian in a sari named Maryamma (Amy Urbina): why? Why not?
The various reincarnations - childhood, adolescence (where her mother abuses her), even a scene as a dog - pass too quickly and sketchily to amount to an epiphanic ending, like Proust at the winding-down of A la Recherche du Temps Perdu. Along the way, we learn Miss Witherspoon is actually resistant to all of Maryamma's overtures: neither religious relief nor personal second chances at happiness are considered by Miss Witherspoon. In one scene, as a baby, she wants the family dog to kill her.
This reversal of sorts on A Christmas Carol, with the Ghost of the Past and the Ghost of the Future colliding (when all Miss Witherspoon cares about was her present, when she was her own ghost), makes for gleeful, if fitful, theatre. Durang's many jokes and asides clear the stage like field goals: after having requested an audience with Saint Peter (who appears looking like Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings films), Miss Witherspoon tells Maryamma, "Look, I was thinking. I don't want Saint Peter. I want to go to the Jewish heaven which is like general anesthesia."
Durang's notion of anti-bliss (Miss Witherspoon says how grateful she killed herself before 9/11: how to deal with that on top of ordinary misery?) has a slick patina of jus'-kidding that negates all the negativeness we are supposed to rally around. Here, Durang makes Beckett seem like Oprah; yet, in Beckett's oeuvre the comedy rises with bleak certitude. Durang's idea about rejecting spiritual help needs to be more sharply drawn, like the Sixties film Bedazzled with Peter Cook as the Devil and Dudley Moore as Stanley, a short-order cook whose three wishes keep being nixed on some technicality. At the end, Stanley is back where he began and not necessarily the happier, though enough to defeat the Devil. Durang's play tosses off aphorisms just as if Camus and Sartre were comedy writers making existentialist one-liners, rather than exposing themselves to real pain.
As the unhappy dead woman, Jan Rogge, a veteran of area productions, shows the proper confusion and disillusionment. Amy Urbina makes a cheery ethereal figure, and Matthew Rapport, Helen Gonzalez, and Dina Kirschenbaum fill out the rest of the characters with enthusiasm. The star of the play, though, is Christopher Durang, a sometime actor. It is hard not to visualize him in the role of Miss Witherspoon; he knows kvetching when he sees it. Apparently, death is no end when it comes to complaining.
REVIEW
Unicorn Theatre
Miss Witherspoon
Co-directed by Cynthia Levin and Steven Eubank
Runs December 4-January 3, 2010 (Reviewed Sunday, December 6, 2009)
Unicorn Theatre
3828 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111
For tickets call 816-531-PLAY or online at www.UnicornTheatre.org
Top photo: Cast members Miss Witherspoon (Jan Rogge) and Maryamma (Amy Urbina). Photo by Cynthia Levin.
Theatre ,
"A Christmas Story" has Broadway on its wish list
Opening night of the Kansas City Repertory's A Christmas Story. The Musical! was abuzz with anticipation for the show that, while still in previews, reportedly had "surpassed revenue for the entire run of last year's production of A Christmas Carol." Being a loyal, annual fan of the 1983 movie on which the musical is based, I had been looking forward to the show, going so far as to scream "a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock!" every time my kids asked me last week what I wanted for Christmas. I guess I find it reassuring to know that there are still new things that can bring out the kid in all of us.
Newness is generally a good thing, and on the topics of success and failure Bill Cosby reportedly once said, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone." James Russell Lowell contributed that "low aim, not failure, is a crime." So after 29 years performing A Christmas Carol, Eric Rosen, in only his 2nd full season as the Rep's artistic director, deserves a theatric medal of valor for breaking with three decades of tradition to stage this new musical.
Now, ignoring my objective responsibilities for a moment and reporting on the performance based solely on audience reaction, this was a resounding success with countless "YEAHs!" and "BRAVOs!" and standing ovations. But returning to critical reality, it pains me to report that the production fell short in a number of important areas. Given that there is plenty of solid material to work from in the iconic 1983 movie source, I'm confident that the shortcomings can be addressed successfully with modest re-workings. But 'as is,' I felt that it was far from being Broadway-ready.
But 'low aim' and attempting to 'please everyone' could have kept Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera or Spring Awakening from making it off their storyboards. To that point, a one billionth interpretation of A Christmas Carol was unlikely to shed any new light on the dog-eared classic. My esteem for Mr. Rosen therefore rises only higher - regardless of my feelings for this show. Bravo, Eric, for aiming; bravo for not pleasing everyone. This kind of energetic adventurism is just what the arts community needs.
Unfortunately, the show opened with a proof of the axiom "there is no second chance to make a good first impression." It might have faired better had it been quickly followed by something musically redeeming. But it was not. Through the first five numbers the music was disappointingly bland. To be clear, I am not talking about the performance of that music - the actors pulled it off quite well. Compositionally, however, it left much to be desired.
It wasn't until Take That! - the scene where Ralphie (Zachary Carter Sayle) imagines saving the world from (literally) lions and tigers and bears (and pirates and gangsters) - that any recognizable degree of musical energy emerged. It was a very upbeat number with multiple characters on stage, and as a microcosm it was an entertaining production in itself. A forgettable Secret Decorder Pin Jingle interjected, but was followed by one of the two best songs and performances of the show. A Major Award, sung by John Bolton (Ralphie's father, "The Old Man"), was a whimsical number with a catchy tune and an excellent delivery by Bolton (who, as the play continued to progress, grew on me more and more). I' 'Uck! followed with Aaron Dwight Conley singing the lyrics ('I'm Stuck') with his tongue staying in touch with the flag pole prop. It was a remarkable feat that he was able to deliver the song with legible diction. Act One closed with Oops, I Forgot and Oh, Fudge! For me, 'Fudge' lost some of its impact with its treatment by the entire ensemble. I think a more subdued staging would have had a better effect to bring the Act to a less bombastic close before intermission.
Act Two was the fortunate recipient of what little momentum carried through from Act One, but the music (again, compositionally) didn't fare much better. After the Entracte and two reprises, four more mediocre songs followed before arriving at Calm Down, which was the gem of the evening. Here, Ralphie's "Mother" (Anne L. Nathan) sings to him after a scene where Ralphie loses it and beats the stuffing out of "Scut Farkus" (Troy Doherty). It is a gentle, lullaby-like serenade with a strongly composed melody and a touching delivery by Nathan. It was reassuring to hear the level of compositional quality of which Richards was capable, and this made me optimistic that some reworking and rewriting will result in a much more solid, Broadway-ready production. Space makes it difficult to discuss the rest of Act Two in any significant detail, and, frankly, the return to mediocre compositions in the final six numbers makes it unnecessary.
I liked that the musical preserved the storytelling structure of the movie. Narrated by the solid 'radio show' pipes of James Judy, at the opening curtain "Jean Shepherd" (Judy) is reflecting back, from a 1966 radio show booth, on the infamously frigid winter of 1939 and the escapades of one Ralphie Parker. Jean Parker Shepherd, in reality, was the co-author of the original movie, which was, in turn, based on his book In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. It is Shepherd's voice that narrated the 1983 movie.
John Bolton's portrayal of Ralphie's Father ("The Old Man") is a masterful creation, thanks in part to his Buster Keaton-like command of facial expressions. He nails the pervasively pessimistic, daily-grind melancholia of the character while also allowing a glimpse beneath the surface at a guy who is really a sentimental softie when it comes to his family. His daily battles with the furnace and the neighbors' dogs are well-preserved and funny. Anne L. Nathan, as Ralphie's "Mother," portrays a confident yet dutiful 1930s housewife and she shines, in particular (as mentioned previously), in her delivery of Calm Down.
I sensed that the role of Ralphie could have been better cast, but Zachary Carter Sayle nevertheless delivered a believable performance, and in the scenes where he is wearing his winter hat, he was a dead ringer for Peter Billingsley's Ralphie from the original movie. Personally, I thought that Jake Bennett Siegfried quietly stole the spotlight as Ralphie's brother, "Randy." Rounding out the children's kudos, Alexiya Lourdes Mendez was a real stunner as "Mary Beth." Other whimsical stage ploys added visual and comic fodder, including the bevy of miscreants and woodland creatures in Take That! and the on-stage dog-barking talents of ensemble members. Lighting and set design were creative and visually engaging, although the latter was occasionally a bit overwhelming (in the aforementioned "Oh Fudge," for example).
A Christmas Story may not be perfection at this point, but didn't shoot its own eye out, either. It likely has already 'succeeded' at the box office, given its preview ticket sales, but beyond that I am certain that a little 'back to the drawing board' review will be a necessity to take it to Broadway.
REVIEW:
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Story - The Musical!
Directed by Eric Rosen
Runs November 28 - January 3, 2010 (Reviewed Saturday, November 28, 2009)
UMKC's Spencer Theatre
3939 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64110
For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org
Cover photo:
Katie Kalahurka (Elf), Orville Mendoza (Elf), Patrick DuLaney (Santa), Zachary Carter Sayle (Ralphie). Photo by Don Ipock.
Film,
"The Young Victoria" is royally good
As you, the loyal reader may know, I am a stickler to detail when it comes to films that try take a page from history and put it on the silver screen. The Young Victoria, starring Golden Globe-nominated actress Emily Blunt, is a resounding success with its portrayal of the ascension and early years of Queen Victoria's reign, the longest (1837-1901) in British history.
During her sad childhood, we learn that Victoria was kept in seclusion by her widowed mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson) and her mother's manipulative chief consul, Sir John Conroy (Mark Strong - Sherlock Holmes). His objective is to get Victoria to sign paperwork that will give regency power to the Duchess, whom he controls. She refuses despite his threats.
Victoria's elderly uncle, King William IV (Jim Broadbent) vows to live long enough to see that his only direct heir turns 18 and thus avoid a regent. He succeeds by less than a month. Queen Victoria then comes to rely heavily upon the consul of Prime Minister Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany - The Da Vinci Code) as she tries to prove that she can be a strong head of state.
Victoria learns that even though she is queen, many around her still look upon her as a pawn in a game. This includes her uncle, Leopold I of Belgium who thinks wrongly he will have inside influence at Buckingham Palace when she becomes involved with her first cousin, German Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Rupert Friend - Chéri).
Gradually, a romantic relationship blossoms between them and its Albert's advice that serves her well - "You better master the rules of the game until you can play it better than they can."
Blunt has shown flashes of her acting prowess in recent work like Sunshine Cleaning, but in The Young Victoria she puts it all together with a transformational performance that is brilliant throughout. She slips effortlessly into her daunting role and accomplishes what a good thespian should - make the viewer forget the actor or actress they are watching and instead think only about the character he or she is playing. Blunt gives Victoria complexity and Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée (C.R.A.Z.Y.) allows her to explore the queen's strengths and faults with unwavering honesty.
Wonderful set and costume designs help cloak the film with a sense of historical authenticity while the supporting cast benefits from a well-written script. Friend was dreadful in Chéri, but handles himself nicely as a prince who must follow his own advice in order to be his own man. Bettany injects a wicked sense of charm into Melbourne and Broadbent is delightful as the "Sailor King."
Of course there is a little dramatic license taken here and there during the course of the story, but only one attains a little historical blasphemy and it involves an assassination attempt. Otherwise, The Young Victoria will leave you saying, "God Save The Queen!"
On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, The Young Victoria receives an A.
The Young Victoria is not rated and has a running time of 100 minutes.
Now showing through January 20 @
Glenwood Arts
9575 Metcalf
Overland Park
Visit www.fineartsgroup.com or call 913-642-4404 for more information.
Classical,
Barcelona meets KCK
The timpani thrillingly rolled in the production of Opera in Cinema's broadcast of Verdi's Il Trovatore, last Tuesday at the Legends. The curtain at the Gran Teatre Del Liceau in Barcelona rose to a chorus-filled stage as audiences all over the world participated in viewing this iconic Italian masterpiece.
To some opera lovers, high definition broadcasts are old hat. Movie theaters all over the world have been projecting operas from the Metropolitan Opera (MET) in New York City live for several years now and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. In some cities, lines form hours before the show and encore showings are added to accommodate demand.
Here in Kansas City, a new player is making their way to the big screen and giving the MET broadcasts a run for their money. Opera in Cinema is letting American audiences get a taste of European opera and the competition is heating up.
Il Trovatore featured an all Italian cast including Fiorenza Cedolins as Leonora, Marco Berti as Manrico and Luciana D'Intino as the gypsy Azuncena. It was interesting to hear the singers in their native languages. They easily articulated with classic dramatic passion.
Fiorenza Cedolins gave a short pre-performance introduction from her dressing room. The 1 p.m. performance was a live broadcast and visiting with her before the show not only gave the audience an overview of the Opera, but invited us on the adventure we would share with people all over the world. I attended the 7 p.m. rebroadcast.
There was no backstage exposure, which differs from MET broadcasts. They didn't interview the performers and the cameras didn't pan the sets or costumes. I imagine the ancient European opera houses aren't as glamorous behind the curtain as the MET, but a little peek would have given the audience a glimpse of what a 300-year-old theatre looks like - and added a gritty authenticity to the experience.
Il Trovatore is a virtuosic opera demanding four outstanding lead singers. The Mezzo Luciana D'Intino was without question the best of the group, singing rich bottom notes with strength and resonance and ascending to glass-shattering soprano heights. Her portrayal of the distraught gypsy who accidentally kills her own baby and kidnaps a Count's child was gut-wrenching.
But the camera is an unforgiving eye. Seeing the singers up close and personal reminded me of looking through old-fashioned opera glasses. The soprano Cedolins, could be seen laboring over her notes and looking inside of herself for intonation while D'Intino was always in character using her eyes to tell the story.
It was exciting to hear the Spanish reaction to the stellar arias. People would enthusiastically scream Brava and hooted and clapped with vigor after the final notes. And it inspired the same rowdy reaction in our movie theatre.
There were some audio glitches that occurred in the live performance, but it made the rebroadcast feel authentic and not overly produced, which I didn't mind.
The venue at the Legends is a great fit for grand opera. The Legends boasts first-class leg room; there is state-of-the-art technology which picked up the acoustics of the originating space. There is even a bar on the second floor so that audiences can leisurely imbibe during the 30-minute intermission. Plenty of restaurant options exist on site, and one can even do a little shopping.
The only flaw with this particular performance lay in the fact that it was visually sparse. There were no sets or elaborate costumes. The minimal staging did, however, allow for complete focus on the singers, the plot and the action. It is also possible that without the expensive stage dressing, the company was able to hire more chorus members. The famous "anvil chorus" boasted over 100 singers on stage. I counted.
The next live presentations are Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio at the Liceu via the Legends on the 21st of April 2010 and Verdi's Simon Boccanegra broadcasting from La Scala on the 29th of April 2010 starring Placido Domingo. Mark your calendars. April will be full of great singing.
Lucky american audience members may have had the opportunity to enjoy a live performance at the MET, but few have had the luxury of seeing, hearing and feeling world-class European talent from such legendary venues as La Scala in Milan. I'm grateful to have this little window into the world of opera, even if it happens on the big screen.
REVIEW:
Opera in Cinema
Il Trovatore by Verdi
Live HD Broadcast from Barcelona
The Legends 14 Theatre
Kansas City, KS
For more information call the Legends 14 Theatre at 913-428-2992 or online at www.operaincinema.com
Top photo: Fiorenza Cedolins
Theatre ,
Live - from Overland Park...
New Theatre's "Run For Your Wife" is pure farce. Mild mannered taxi driver John Smith, has two wives living in different parts of town. After attempting to stop a mugger, John is questioned by the police and hailed as a hero by the press. The whole fiasco leaves him scrambling to cover his tracks as detectives and his wives chase him across town.
Written by Ray Cooney, Run For Your Wife is running until February of 2010. Headliner Garrett Morris of Saturday Night Live fame insures that the show is an evening of nonstop laughter.
Casting Craig Benton as John Smith was brilliant. Generally, society frowns on polygamy, but I found myself hoping that Smith would get away with his outrageous lies simply because Benton was such a likeable guy. There was no hint of ill will towards anyone. He just wanted to continue living his quiet life - with his two different women.
Smith admits his problem to Stanley, the upstairs neighbor of wife #1, who immediately becomes his accomplice and the only other person who knows the truth. Garrett Morris played Stanley to perfection. This SNL star had amazing energy and played well with the locals, making Run For Your Wife an ensemble cast, not simply a show featuring him.
The wives, Mary and Barbara, were played by Heidi Van and Ashlee LaPine, respectively. The characters were not written to reflect any great difference between the two women. Both were disappointingly dense, leaving the men to discover the truth when they were off stage. Van had great comedic timing, which could have been used more. LaPine had some great bits of physical humor, which she made the most of.
The detectives, Thomas from Minneapolis and Porter from St. Paul, were more unique. Thomas, played by Mark Robbins, was more astute than his counterpart played by David Fritts. While Fritts donned a frilly apron for a social call, Robbins was demanding and unyielding, until he was deflected with another outrageous lie. I particularly appreciated the contrast between Fritts' fast-paced joviality and Robbins' careful questioning.
The cast was rounded out by Ron Megee, upstairs neighbor of wife #2, who added some bizarre humor to the mix, and a brief cameo by John Hayes as a newspaper reporter.
Jason Cole's scenic design was very interesting. On first glance, it looked like a combination of the Jetsons' home and a Dr. Seuss book, with it's bright colors and hanging shapes. Both apartments were represented by the same space, which ultimately reflected the duality and confusion John Smith felt at having two separate lives. The visualization was effective.
Mary Traylor chose some lovely costume pieces, especially for the wives. I loved Mary's day dress. I was a little confused about what time of year it was. I would assume summer, since Minneapolis would definitely require coats for all in the winter, but then why was Detective Thomas wearing a trench coat, while Barbara was wearing a backless halter dress?
Lighting designer Randy B. Winder didn't have much to play with, but he did some very nice window lights at the beginning. I suppose, in a show like this, if you don't notice the lighting, it's a good thing.
This production is absolutely hilarious. There were a few slow moments near the beginning, but once it started rolling, the audience couldn't stop. The second act probably averaged a laugh every three seconds, which is a rare feat indeed. The ending was abrupt, and I would've liked the last line to be more telling - however, this was a very small nuisance compared to the enjoyable evening I spent at the New Theatre Restaurant.
REVIEW:
New Theatre Restaurant
Run For Your Wife
Runs December 2 to February 7 (Reviewed December 18, 2009)
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS 66212
For tickets call 913-649-SHOW or online at www.newtheatre.com
Top photo: Garrett Morris as Stanley. Photo by Mark Baltzley.
Local Arts News,
First Annual newEar Composers' Competition winners announced
newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble is pleased to announce Lansing McLoskey and Peiying Yuan as the winners of the First Annual newEar Composers' Competition. 
Over one hundred works were submitted from around the world and reviewed by a panel of judges for the competition. newEar is excited to work with both composers and is looking forward to programming their works on a concert in the near future.
The Competition was split into two categories. Composers submitting in category one were studying composition privately or enrolled in a degree program. Composers submitting in category two were not enrolled in a degree program.
Category two winner, Lansing McLoskey submitted his work Requiem, v.2.001 for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion. Lansing will receive a performance of Requiem, v.2.001 on newEar's main concert season, rehearsal time and mentoring sessions with newEar, an invitation to participate in a pre-concert lecture, a professional recording of the performance of his work and a $1,000.00 honorarium. For more information on Lansing and his music, visit LansingMcloskey.com.
Category one winner, Peiying Yuan submitted her work Five Elements for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. Peiying is guaranteed rehearsal time and a mentoring session with newEar performers, a reading session of Five Elements, a professional recording and a $500.00 honorarium. Her work will also be considered for possible performance on one of newEar's outreach concerts. For more information see Peiying's myspace page.
For more information on the First Annual newEar Composers' Competition or the recipients, visit www.newEar.org or contact William J. Lackey at 757-870-0479.
Local Arts News,
ArtsKC Fund announces new Inspiration Awards
Kansas City, Mo. (December 17, 2009) - The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City Board of Directors has approved $6,079 in new ArtsKC Fund Inspiration Award funding for eight projects by local artists. Inspiration awards from the ArtsKC fund, a united arts fund, support projects by individual artists which assist with their overall professional growth in specific creative endeavors.
This is the last of three rounds of Inspiration awards for the 2009 grant cycle. In the first two rounds of funding, artists were awarded a combined total of $14,070.
Arts Council CEO and President Harlan Brownlee commented, "Through the ArtsKC Fund we have awarded $20,149 this year to 23 arts projects that involved the work of dozens of local artists. We'd like to thank all the donors to the ArtsKC Fund for their generous support which is fueling the creative ambitions and imaginations of some of Kansas City's finest artists. This is another reason why we are developing a reputation as a community where the arts and artists can thrive."
Letters of inquiry from artists interested in applying for the first round of 2010 awards are due March 15, 2010. Visit www.ArtsKC.org for more details.
Final Round of Inspiration Grants, 2009:
Julia Cole: ($1,200)
Public artist and arts educator Julia Cole requests funding for equipment for public programs and community arts projects to be offered through the Southeast Community Center, as an extension of her earlier, collaborative installation of public art at Swope Park, and in conjunction with a new teaching internship program.
Nathan Granner and Jeffrey Rukaman: ($500)
Tenor Nathan Granner and composer/musician Jeffrey Rukaman will travel to Florida for a month long residency during which they will be collaborating on a new opera based on the "Gospel of Judas." Inspiration funding will help pay for their travel expenses to the residency.
Robert Chase Heishman: ($800)
Robert Chase Heishman will purchase a high definition video camera to use in recording his personal reconstruction of an episode of the 1980's prime time soap opera "Falcon Crest" that aired on the day he was born; it inspired his mother to name him after the actor who portrayed the main character.
Peregrine Honig: ($250)
An Inspiration award to visual artist Peregrine Honig will help cover promotional expenses for the launch of a major new print project with Landfall Press at the Nerman Museum of Art, February 25th. "Widow", a limited-edition piece formatted as a high-end fashion magazine, features selections of her work and curated images of eighteen artists and photographers she collaborates with locally and internationally.
Linda Lighton: ($1,200)
Funding for ceramicist Linda Lighton will help pay for special lighting equipment to be incorporated into dozens of hanging ceramic sculptures created for a new exhibition, "Luminous," at the Rockhurst College Greenlease Gallery in the spring.
Michael Schonhoff: ($700)
Michael Schonhoff is curating an exhibition titled "You're Such a Good Sport" on the themes of 'arts' and 'sports' as experiences to be shared, critiqued, celebrated and explored. It features the work of over a dozen diverse artists from multiple disciplines. Inspiration funds will be used for gallery installation costs and special equipment rental.
Cheryl Gail Toh: ($729)
Visual artist Cheryl Toh will use funds for expenses associated with developing a new body of work for installation in gallery and museum settings. The award will aid in covering expenses associated with studio and equipment rental costs for creating and firing clay forms for a future mixed-media exhibition.
Mary Wessel: ($700)
Experimental photographer Mary Wessel will use Inspiration funds to help pay for the creation of large scale, archival digital prints of her work for her solo exhibition scheduled for the Cohen Gallery of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in the spring of 2010.
These awards conclude the commitment of all grant funds raised and pledged during the 2009 ArtsKC Fund campaign.
About the ArtsKC Fund
The ArtsKC Fund, an initiative of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City, is a united arts fund that raises new money to support a wide range of arts organizations and programs. Its purpose is to provide stable sources of new financial support for the arts, broaden access to high-quality arts experiences, and sustain excellence in the arts and arts administration. The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is a not-for-profit organization that serves the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area and strives to strengthen and enrich the community by growing appreciation, participation and support of its arts resources. For more information about the ArtsKC Fund, visit www.ArtsKC.org.
Local Arts News,
Theatre for Young America now enrolling for spring classes
Theatre for Young America is accepting enrollments for its Saturday morning classes offered at Avila University. These weekly classes will take place in the Goppert Theatre complex on the Avila University Campus located at 11901 Wornall Road, in Kansas City, Missouri. Spring semester classes at Avila begin on Saturday, January 30, 2010.
All preschool through 12th graders wishing to study drama are encouraged to enroll. Theatre for Young America is in its 33rd year of theater instruction and follows the model curriculum set out by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. Older students also have the opportunity from time to time, to audition for age-appropriate roles in professional Theatre for Young America productions. TYA often called upon to recommend students for acting positions in other companies as well.
The eleven-week classes are $124.00 per semester. An additional 10% discount is offered to season ticket holders or to parents enrolling more than one child in a class. Installment payment arrangements are also available. Enrollments may be taken until February 22, 2010 if a class has not yet reached its capacity of 15 students per class.
To enroll online go to www.tya.org or to enroll by telephone, call 816-460-2083.
2010 ACTING CLASS SCHEDULE AT AVILA UNIVERSITY SPRING TERM: January 30, 2010 - April 17, 2010.
Class takes place at the Goppert Theatre Complex on the Avila University Campus, 11901 Wornall Road in Kansas City, Missouri.
|
CLASS # |
AGE |
CLASS TITLE |
DAY/TIME |
|
6
|
3.5yr old-KINDERGARTEN |
Pretend Players |
SATURDAY 9:30-10:30 AM |
|
7
|
1ST-3RD GRADERS |
Adventures in Acting |
SATURDAY 9:30-10:30 AM |
|
8
|
4TH-6TH GRADERS. |
Acting Workshop |
SATURDAY 10:30-11:30 AM |
|
9
|
7TH-8TH GRADERS. |
Teen Acting Conservatory I |
SATURDAY 11:30-12:30 PM |
|
10
|
9TH -12TH GRADERS. |
Teen Acting Conservatory II |
SATURDAY 11:30-12:30 PM |
Theatre for Young America is a professional theater company, which primarily employs local actors, many of whom are members of Actors Equity Association. Theatre for Young America, Inc., is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Gifts are tax deductible.
KCM News,
KCM receives a Small Arts Grant Program Award from the Francis Family Foundation
About the Francis Family Foundation from their website...
The Francis Family Foundation is actually a combination of two former foundations. Parker B. Francis, founder of the Puritan-Bennett Company, established a foundation bearing his name in 1951. Parker B. Francis III also established a foundation to fund his interests in education, arts, and culture. In 1989, the Parker B. Francis Foundation merged with the Parker B. Francis III Foundation to become the Francis Family Foundation. After retiring from Puritan Bennett as Chairman in 1986, John B. Francis - son of Parker B. Francis and brother of Parker B. Francis III - served as president of the Foundation until 1998. Mr. Francis was the Honorary Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors until his passing in August 2004. His wife, Mary Harris Francis, served on the board as honorary vice chair until her passing in May 2005.
The four children of John B. and Mary Harris Francis (Ann F. Barhoum, David V. Francis, J. Scott Francis and Susan F. Neves) served as the Executive Committee of the Foundation Board from 1998 until 2004, at which time the Board reorganized to better meet the needs of the new strategic plan.
Foundation priorities, such as the funding of the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program, a national post-doctoral program in pulmonary research, and support of educational and cultural programs geographically located within the greater Kansas City area, still reflect the interests of the donors.
Locally the Foundation supports specific efforts to promote lifelong learning skills in children and specific areas within arts and culture.
The Francis Family Foundation envisions current and future generations of well-rounded individuals who are creative, lifelong learners striving to achieve their fullest potential and are well prepared to contribute to community and society in general. The path to making this vision a reality is built upon strategies that target talented individuals and organizations that strive to provide excellent programs and services within their communities. Specifically, the Foundation will focus its strategies in the areas of pulmonary research, lifelong learning with a particular emphasis on early childhood development, and arts and culture.
This plan serves as a framework by which the Foundation will pursue a set of outcomes within each area over the next five years. The Foundation will continue to focus its efforts in the area of pulmonary research on a national level. The Foundation will continue to focus its efforts in the areas of lifelong learning and arts and culture within the greater Kansas City area. By focusing support in these areas, the Foundation is committed to making a difference in improving the quality of life through our grant making.
Francis Family Foundation funding promotes the principle that arts and culture are fundamentally important for all people and supports development of the greater Kansas City area as a creative community recognized as a regional hub for excellence in arts and culture, rich with expression of diverse cultures and affording access to all levels of creative participation.
For more information and to view the entire list of 2009 Arts and Cultural grant recipients visit www.francisfoundation.org
Local Arts News, Theatre ,
Starlight Theatre's 2010 Broadway line-up
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The 2010 Broadway season at Starlight Theatre will offer something for everyone. Two national touring productions are sure to be family favorites, while the remaining three shows will appeal to audiences with an affinity for 1960s hit music or a desire to take a comic look behind the scenes of show business.
While Starlight has designed its show lineup to appeal to varied musical tastes, the theatre is making one change next season that is intended to satisfy a request heard from a significant number of patrons responding to its annual audience survey. All shows during the 2010 Starlight season will start at 8 p.m. (rather than the usual 8:30 p.m.).
Three national tours - Little House on the Prairie The Musical, Dreamgirls and Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles - will make their Kansas City debuts at Starlight next summer.
Little House on the Prairie is packing star power, with Melissa Gilbert (who we embraced as the young "Laura Ingalls" on the TV series for 10 years) starring as "Ma." Rounding out the Starlight season are a national tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and Starlight's own production of Mel Brooks' Tony and Academy Award-winning musical, The Producers.
"We're thrilled to present another season of exceptional Broadway entertainment at Starlight Theatre in 2010," said Denton Yockey, Starlight president and executive producer. "Despite the challenging economy, our audience numbers climbed more than 5 percent in 2009 as Kansas Citians sought quality live entertainment at a reasonable price. And, our early season ticket renewal numbers for 2010 indicate that upward trend may continue. I'm confident everyone will find a favorite among the five shows we've slated for next summer - and, of course, the best choice is to subscribe to the entire season and see all five!"
Opening the 2010 Broadway season at Starlight is the brand-new national tour of Little House on the Prairie, The Musical. The June 22-27 run in Kansas City is one stop on a 25-city tour that began in September and continues through next summer. The touring stage production is based on the stories of the popular Little House on the Prairie book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Set in the 1880s, the show follows the Ingalls family as they and other homesteaders settle new lands opened by the U.S. government in the Dakota Territory.
The supreme sounds of 1960s rhythm and blues will ring out as Starlight presents the new national tour of Dreamgirls on July 20-25. With its powerful score and thought-provoking story, Dreamgirls has touched audiences from 1980s Broadway to 21st century Hollywood. The tour's trio of talented leads features newcomer Moya Angela in the legendary role of Effie, Syesha Mercado as Deena and Adrienne Warren as Lorrell. Launching Nov. 7 at Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater, the tour also features the song "Listen," originally written for the film, as an updated duet between Deena and Effie in the musical's second act.
Next up is the timeless tale of Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Aug. 10-15. Families will delight in this eye-popping musical spectacle based on Disney's Academy Award-winning animated feature film. Disney's Beauty and the Beast is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. Kansas City is one stop on a new national tour that begins in Providence, R.I., in February 2010.
Audiences will howl at the scheming and scamming of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom as they set out to produce a full-fledged Broadway flop in The Producers on Aug. 23-29. The Producers debuted on Broadway in 2001 and promptly took home a record 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Starlight is producing the hit Mel Brooks' musical and plans to hold auditions early next year in both Kansas City and New York for Equity and non-Equity actors for principal and ensemble roles.
Finally, the Starlight 2010 season finishes on a high note with a tribute to one of modern music's legends. On stage Sept. 7-12, Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles follows the Fab Four from Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road in a multimedia, multidimensional live musical experience. Rain features Beatles' music and vocals from five distinctly different eras complete with supporting scene and costume changes.
Starlight's 2010 season ticket renewal campaign got under way in late October with e-mail and direct mail communications to current season subscribers. Advance orders or gift certificates for new season tickets are also available at this time by visiting www.kcstarlight.com, calling 816.363.STAR (7827) or visiting the Starlight box office on weekdays at 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, MO 64132. Season ticket packages start at just $50 in the theatre's Side Terrace seating sections. Single tickets to Starlight's 2010 shows will go on sale in May.
Starlight Theatre
Presenting Broadway entertainment since 1951, the non-profit Starlight Theatre Association is Kansas City's oldest and largest performing arts organization. The Association operates, programs and maintains the largest stage in the United States, as well as the 16-acre Starlight Theatre complex.
While assuming all annual operating costs for the complex, the Association also raises funds for capital improvements and a variety of programs, including national Broadway musical performances, concerts, community outreach and education. Since 2000, the Association has contributed more than $25 million of privately funded improvements to the Kansas City, Mo.-owned Starlight Theatre. Each Broadway season, Starlight donates more than 11,000 tickets to its performances to regional non-profit organizations serving the disadvantaged.
In 2009, Starlight Theatre was again selected as the "Favorite Performing Arts Venue or Organization" in the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association's Visitors' Choice Awards program. Starlight also received a Gold Award for "Best Performing Arts Venue" and Silver Award for "Best Theater" in Ingram's 2009 Best of Business Kansas City Awards. The theatre seats approximately 8,000 and is located in Swope Park.
Off the Vine, Jazz,
December/January Events
Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World is an exceptional collection of photographs and documents drawn from important archives around the country that chronicles the tours of American jazz legends as they traveled the globe on behalf of the U.S. State Department. From the mid-1950s through the 1970s, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and others served as cultural diplomats, transcending national boundaries, and making friends for our country.
Jam Session includes nearly 100 compelling images of musicians visiting 35 countries in four continents - each of which provides a unique insight into this successful diplomatic initiative. Millions of people experienced these concerts and thrilled to the many styles and variations of the remarkable American art form called jazz music. We've taken the liberty to add two additional components including non-stop screening of selected films taken from our John H. Baker Jazz Film Collection and selected artifacts from the UMKC Marr Sound Archives and American Jazz Museum Collections. These added dimensions will bring to life many of the themes and accentuate selected artists from within the exhibition. Moreover, they will provide YOU with a heightened educational experience!
To highlight the far-reaching impact of these great musicians' voyages abroad, the American Jazz Museum will host a grand opening celebration and public programs and focus tours to accentuate the exhibit during the course of its run here in Kansas City - through February 21, 2010.
Educating The Masses...Public Programs of Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World
January 18, 2010, Atrium - American Jazz Museum
Jammin' for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Jazz Poetry Jams Special Event
Join host, Glenn North, student poets, spoken word artists and KC jazz musicians in action as we pay special tribute to an American legend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whose words of justice inspire words of hope from these talented young poets. Also enjoy light refreshments, a funs scavenger hunt and light refreshments. $5 Admission
February 4, 2010- 6:30 pm, Atrium - American Jazz Museum
Jammin' for Wellness: Jazz as an International Catalyst for Medical and Spiritual Healing
This session will feature a spirited and healthy discussion examining the power Jazz as an International Catalyst for Medical and Spiritual Healing. Join our guest panelists and NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston LIVE IN CONCERT! Program also includes hors d' oeuvres!
February 19, 2010 - 10:00 a.m., Atrium - American Jazz Museum
Satchmo Blows Up the World: A Jazz Storytelling Special Event
In this special inter-active Jazz Storytelling session, children will learn how one of the world's greatest jazz ambassadors, Louis Armstrong, trumpeted the message of jazz across the globe.
All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. A suggested $10 donation to support future programming is encouraged. For additional details and to RSVP for any of these public programs, please contact Glenn North at (816)474-8463, ext. 221 or gnorth@kcjazz.org.
For more information visit www.americanjazzmuseum.org.
KCM News,
This season of giving
KCMetropolis.org - YOUR Online Journal of the Performing Arts - is a nonprofit arts service organization designed to offer critical, quality dialogue about our community's performing arts through new online technologies and social medias. We have been publishing for over a year and feature articles on traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre, indie films and jazz. We are a true grassroots organization and have 20+ local volunteer writers on board - talented and expert voices coming from the musicologists, professional writers, etc within the community.
KCMetropolis.org publishes weekly on Wednesdays and has 600+ articles up on the site stretching back through October 2008. This has allowed us to offer more, and more easily accessible coverage of performing arts events - both small and large - than has ever been offered in one place to the Kansas City community.
In July, KCMetropolis.org debuted a new performing arts calendar - KC Events - that allows arts organizations to add and manage their own events. It is much more than just a listing - click on the link and find an entire page of information on each performance, all with easy links to share, print, send to your mobile, etc. We are partnering with other performing arts organizations, online arts purveyors and tourism-based businesses to make KC Events easily accessible in many locations.
In order to continue to offer quality performing arts information through critical dialogue to you, we depend on financial support from the readers we serve. Your donations help support operations, technology and accessible content so that our journal may promote and educate the community about this valuable cultural resource.
Our Mission:
KCMetropolis.org publishes online substantive, critical, unbiased review, preview and side-story articles on the traditional and independent performing arts to help promote, make accessible and educate the general public about Kansas City's rich, performing arts environment.
It is easy to donate to KCMetropolis.org. Follow this link http://kcmetropolis.org/Donate to donate online via Pay Pal or send your checks to KCMetropolis.org at 814 East 33rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64109. All donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for your continued support of the performing arts!
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Many thanks to ArtsJournal.com's editor, Douglas McLennan
~ Formerly an arts columnist and arts reporter with the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer and the Seattle Weekly. Doug writes on
the arts for a number of publications (in his abundant free time)
and is currently acting director of the National Arts Journalism
Program while it reinvents itself ~
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